Carlton Ward Jr is a conservation photographer & National Geographic Explorer whose passion for nature was born from the Florida landscape. His mission is to inspire appreciation and protection of Florida’s original nature and culture – the endangered wildness that is often hidden in plain sight but very much needs our attention to be saved. Carlton published Florida Cowboys in 2009 and founded the Florida Wildlife Corridor project in 2010. The Path of the Panther project has been Carlton’s full-time focus since 2016 - It's purpose is to inspire a public and political movement to save the Florida Wildlife Corridor through the story of the endangered Florida panther.

SPONSORS

https://www.bruntworkwear.com/danny - Use code DANNY for $10 off your ENTIRE order.

https://www.amentara.com/go/dj - Use code DJ22 for 22% off your first order.

https://clean.ver.so/danny - Use code DANNY for 15% off your order.

https://whiterabbitenergy.com/?ref=DJP - Use code DJP for 20% off

EPISODE LINKS

https://wildpath.com

FOLLOW DANNY JONES

https://www.instagram.com/dannyjones

OUTLINE

00:00 - Florida development & cattle ranching

08:31 - finding passion for photography in Australia

16:20 - Carlton's early work with camera traps

21:44 - Florida horses evolution & animals of ancient Florida

31:09 - how North American megafauna went extinct

40:37 - the state of Florida cattle ranching

56:03 - Florida's black bear population living on cattle ranches

01:00:38 - Florida population will grow to 30 million by 2060

01:13:07 - who's fighting against Florida Wildlife Corridor preservation

01:17:55 - the Half-Earth Project

01:28:36 - tagging & tracking marine wildlife

01:32:08 - the Florida panther

01:45:31 - finding ghost orchids

01:51:18 - Carlton's deadliest animal encounter

02:02:31 - how conservationists protect themselves

02:05:44 - Florida panther population

02:16:55 - bringing animals back from extinction

02:22:03 - toll roads are destroying the wildlife corridor

02:27:53 - Florida sugar farms

02:37:07 - importance of the Gulf of Mexico

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices